Cooperatives

This report explores a specific hypothesis: that the major Great Filter may not be technological failure or external catastrophe at all, but rather internal social and cultural dysfunction. In this view, traits like unbridled greed, authoritarian rule, extreme wealth inequality, and ecological recklessness could systematically prevent civilizations from reaching maturity.

Cooperatives have existed for centuries, but in an age of inequality and corporate consolidation, they’re finding new relevance. Across industries — from tech to agriculture to cafés — co-ops are redefining what ownership and leadership can look like. Each of these five organizations offers a lesson in balancing democracy, purpose, and sustainability.

Worker Direction is our approach to building a workplace culture that prioritizes democracy, participation, proper incentives, and mutual respect. It draws on the 7 Principles of Cooperatives and aims to give workers genuine influence over decisions that affect their work and their community. This, and all kinds of democracy, require participation. While we can’t control how or if people will choose to participate, we can make the opportunities possible. 

a workplace built on the Seven Cooperative Principles, the global guidebook for worker-owned businesses. At Beanchain, these principles aren’t abstract ideals; they’re daily practices that shape how we work together, share responsibility, and serve our community.

In an era defined by stagnant wages, workplace abuses, and deepening mistrust between workers and management, Beanchain Coffee is pioneering a refreshing alternative: Worker Direction. This isn't just a philosophy—it's a transformative practice aimed at cultivating a genuinely democratic workplace, rooted firmly in cooperative principles and shared leadership.

This report will explain what a business plan is used for, which sections to include, how to develop a logical structure and flow, recommended lengths for each part, and what a strong final product should look like.

This research-style report will explain what grants are and the types available, outline how to write effective grant proposals step by step, and describe how to find grants that fit your organization’s needs. Practical examples, tools, and tips are included to help you support your organization in securing grant funding.

My wife Shannon and I created Beanchain as a living experiment in economic justice. It’s a worker-directed company—meaning we’re building a workplace where decisions are shared, wages are fair, and power is distributed. We’ve built in casual voting, open forums, and teams that allow people to earn more by taking on more responsibility. We’re moving steadily toward a living wage and a path to cooperative ownership.

Beanchain Coffee isn’t your ordinary coffee shop. Based in Mesa, Arizona, Beanchain is pioneering a unique model—worker-directed businesses that prioritize fairness, solidarity, and community support. If you share these values, there are plenty of meaningful ways you can get involved in supporting and furthering Beanchain’s mission.

Beanchain's core mission is ambitious and clear: to build fair, worker-directed coffee shops that genuinely serve their communities. Beyond just a place to gather, drink coffee, and work, Beanchain aims to empower its workers, fight poverty, and promote a broader cultural shift toward worker ownership and democratic workplaces.

Starting a community-owned food cooperative (food co-op) is a rewarding journey that empowers local people to secure fresh, affordable food and reinvest in their community. A food co-op is defined by the International Cooperative Alliance as “an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise”

10 Reasons Beanchain Coffee is the Best Coffee Shop in Mesa! At Beanchain Coffee, we’ve built more than just a coffee shop—we’ve built a community. While it might seem bold to say we’re the best, here are ten heartfelt reasons we genuinely think our little café is special

Beanchain Coffee is a worker-directed coffee shop in Mesa, Arizona. It’s more than a café—it’s a real-world experiment proving that business can be fair, democratic, and community-focused.

TLDR one linerThe Solution Seeking System assists systems(any group of people) by identifying solutions that improve communication, connection, wisdom, leadership, or any other aspect of those systems. It creates a smooth cycle of growth and change that creates living systems that can better serve their participants.

Cooperatives are member-owned and democratically governed enterprises that have evolved over centuries from informal mutual aid practices into a worldwide movement spanning diverse sectors. While forms of cooperative behavior (such as mutual insurance or shared farming) existed long before the industrial era, the modern cooperative movement began when people applied formal cooperative principles to business organizations in the 19th century.

Laws Impacting Worker Cooperatives in the United States. Includes a TLDR and detailed summary for each law!

Worker cooperatives can tap a diverse array of funding programs and financial mechanisms at the national, state, and regional levels. Below is a comprehensive overview organized by source type – from federal grants and loan guarantees, to cooperative-friendly banks, CDFIs, foundations, and state/local initiatives.

Arizona hosts a diverse cooperative ecosystem spanning worker-owned businesses, consumer-owned retail co-ops, producer cooperatives, housing co-ops, financial cooperatives (credit unions), and support organizations. Below we profile key examples by sector, detailing each organization’s business, governance, alignment with the seven cooperative principles, lessons for Beanchain, collaboration opportunities, and contact information.

In this report, we explore each of the 7 Cooperative Principles in depth—covering their definitions, origins, practical implementation across sectors worldwide, benefits for stakeholders, and the governance tools and best practices that support them.